Increased online, phone use ends Naval walk-in service

Saturday

Feb 1, 2014 at 3:15 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Keeping up with the rapidly increasing number of TRICARE beneficiaries who most often turn to a laptop or cell phone when they have questions, walk in service at the Naval Branch Health Clinic/TRICARE Service Center will no longer be available as of April 1.

Find out more at www.tricare.mil/TSC.

NBHC Portsmouth patients still have a wide variety of secure, electronic customer service options available through www.tricare.mil. The new “I want to…..” feature puts everything beneficiaries want to do online right on the front page of www.tricare.mil.

When walk-in service ends April 1, beneficiaries who want get personal assistance can call Health Net Federal Services LLC, at 1-877-874-2273, for enrollment and benefit help. All health care, pharmacy, dental and claims contact information is located at www.tricare.mil/contactus. Beneficiaries can get 24/7 TRICARE benefit information at www.tricare.mil, and make enrollment and primary care manager changes, and more online at www.tricare.mil/enrollment.

Rather than driving to an installation TSC, TRICARE beneficiaries can even combine high-tech with low-tech by downloading health care forms online and sending them in the old fashion way, through the U.S. mail – at a cost of less than 50 cents.

Walk-in customer service is also the most expensive possible customer service option. By eliminating walk-in customer service at TSCs, the Department of Defense estimates savings of approximately $250 million over five years. The change does not affect TRICARE benefits or health care delivery.